Judging from the email that I get from readers, the number one challenge you have to working on your sailboat is making the time. The number two challenge is the workspace and tools to do some of the projects here.
Trust me, I know what you mean. For many years, I didn’t even have a garage to work in and all the tools I owned could fit in a suitcase.
Continue reading “Tour the $tingy Sailor Workshop”
This is a guest post by Diego Flores, who took First Place in the 2016 Stingy Sailor DIY Project Contest with a boarding ladder project for his 1979 Catalina 22 Mirabel.
Continue reading “DIY Non-Skid Paint for Safer Footing”
This blog is big on saving money while doing restoration and improvement projects. I’ve literally saved a boat load of money by doing almost all projects myself, buying gently used parts, and shopping for bargains online. As of the time I wrote this post, I’ve saved over $10,000 compared to the suggested retail price of the parts and supplies that I actually used. If that sounds incredibly high, consider Chip Ford who has spent over $40,000 on his C-22 and is now trying to sell it. Boy, I hope he doesn’t have regrets. Good luck, Chip!
Continue reading “The 6 Best Sources for Sailboat Parts and Supplies”
When it comes time to varnish the wooden panels and trim on your sailboat, doing the job more efficiently will save you time. One way that you can be more efficient is by varnishing all sides of a piece at the same time. You want to varnish all sides of the pieces in order to seal even the backsides of parts from absorbing water that will cause varnish to peel and mildew to grow. Many people omit that step and simply lay the pieces on their work surface to dry. But spending a little more time in preparation can save time by the end of the job and give you better results. You can do this by using simple jigs to hold the pieces suspended while you varnish them.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a little uncomfortable drilling holes in my sailboat. I avoid them if I can. And when I can’t, I want them to be right the first time. Do-overs aren’t pretty. Whenever I have to drill holes to install deck hardware, I’m even more hesitant.
Among several projects that I’m working on this winter is adding some boom rigging to Summer Dance: mainsail outhaul, jiffy reefing line, and topping lift. I’ll dedicate posts to each of those projects later but this post is a tip that I want to pass on to those that might be doing similar projects.
Continue reading “How to Accurately Locate Hardware on Cylindrical Surfaces”
The $tingy Sailor 